Method of cleaning catch basins



Aug. 6, 1935. R. c. EvANs METHOD OF CLEANING CATCH BASINS Filed Dec. 4, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l ZrllillI/rlllfllrllllllrlll Aug. 6, 1935. R. c. EVANS METHOD OF CLEANING CATCH BASINS Filed Dec. 4, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 17V E1 7 [:2 fiwa/d f/emevaf meza.

Aug. 6, 1935'.

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Patented Aug. 6, 1935 TE STATES .PATENTfQFFICE 12,010,546 m j I THOD OF CLEANING 'cA'ron BASINS" Ronald Clement Evans, Elgin, Ill., assignor to A Municipal Appliance Company,

,, N. Y., a corporation of Maine New York,

ApplicationDecember 4, 1933 Serial n oassa 2 Claims. (01.214-152) This invention relates to a method of cleaning out catch basins, cess pools,- grit containers, receptacles for collecting solid matter such" as sludge from liquids and the like which'involves the principle of an ejector jet for forcing the sediment from the basin to a'settling tank. In order to maintain an effective jet, it'is desirable that the jet producing mechanism be gradually lowered into the basin by a step by step movement and be maintained in the upper portion of the sediment which has been loosened or satu rated by a disintegrating stream; '-It is further desirable to cause the sedir'ne'nt discharged into the tank to gravitate forwardly so as to increase the amount" that can be deposited. To this end. the sediment is maintained in afluid state for a con siderable time therein, as set forth in my copen'ding application Serial No; 700,930, filed Dec. 4, 1933. V

The invention comprises the novel method and steps hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred apparatus for carrying out the method and in which similar reference characters refer to similar features in the diiferent views:

Figure l is an elevational view of a part of the apparatus for carrying out my novel method.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the ejector mechanism.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the apparatus.

Figure 4 an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a part of the apparatus illustrating the step by step mechanism. 1

Figure 5 is a longitudinal view thru a settling tank into which the sediment is deposited, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view upon the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

The illustrated apparatus for carrying out the method will first be described. It comprises a pump I operated by a motor M to the outlet tube 2 of which there is connected a pipe section 3 having a valve controlled by a handle 4. From the outlet tube 2 there extends a valve controlled pipe 5 adapted to extend into the catch basin for disintegrating solid sediment and saturating the same. From the pipe section 3, there extends a pipe 5 for connection with a source of water supply for obtaining the initial water for the operation of the apparatus. A flexible pressure hose is connected to the pipe section 3 at one end while the other end is connected to a metal pipe 8 which is connected to the ejector nozzle housing 9 which is provided with an intak e'tube Ill. Above the inlet of the pipe 8,'there is a conical nozzle ll with a restricted throat 12 whereby 'a vacuum producing jet is for'r'ned which draws the sediment thru the inlet tube H). The nozzle housing 9 is connected to a discharge pipe 13 covered w'itha metal pipe l4 at its lower portion for protecting thesame.

The sediment discharge pipe]; is wound around a reel l5 and the upper end thereoi is attached to a curved hollow arm' IB asindicated at H, The hollow arm l6 communicateswith the interior of the hub of the feel as shown in my copending application; Serial No. 700,930, filed Dec.

4, 1933. The hub of the reel communicates with a pipe 18 that discharges the sediment into a settling tanklil. The reeled portion of the conduit I3 constitutes'a helical spiral-path through which the educted material is impelled, and which path provides for a centrifugal movement of such material prior to its discharge into the tank.

The reel is provided with a sprocket wheel 20 around which a sprocket chain 2| is trained. The sprocket chain is also trained over a small sprocket 22 (Figs. 3 and 4) secured upon a shaft 23. An internal gear 24 is secured upon the shaft 23 and a pinion 25 is in mesh with the internal gear. This pinion 25 is secured upon a shaft 26 journalled in a suitable casting 28 and is provided at its outer end with a hand crank 21.

A ratchet wheel 29 is secured upon the shaft ZEand a pawl 30 pivoted to the casting normally engages the ratchet wheel. When the hand crank 21 is turned to elevate the hydraulic elevator, the ratchet wheel will be rotated in a clockwise direction and the pawl will ride idly there over, but as soon as the hand crank is released, reverse rotation is prevented by the engagement of the pawl and ratchet. On the other hand, the pawl 30 may be disengaged and the hydraulic elevator allowed to descend by gravity as far as desired when the pawl may again be engaged with the ratchet to hold the elevator at the desired elevation. Thus the hydraulic elevator may be gradually lowered by a step by step movement so as to always extend the desired depth into the sediment in the catch basin.

The settling tank l9 embodies a pair of vertical plates 32 that extend from the rear to a point spaced a short distance from the front wall as 34 which cover a substantially triangular area defined at its lower boundary by a diagonal plane extending from the upper rear corner of the tank. With this construction, the water in the sediment cannot drain thru the plate 32 until it rises above the said diagonal plane. The water will therefore travel forwardly in the tank and carry some sediment therewith, until it drains thru the lower drain apertures. In other words the sediment is maintained in a fluid state for a sufiicient time to cause the same to flow toward the forward perton of the tank where it is arrested by a transverse drain plate 35 which is hinged to a rod 36 extending thru the sides of the tank. An angle member 31 attached to the floor of the tank limits the forward movement of the tank.

The water which eventually drains from the sediment escapes from the tank thru a pipe 38 i (Fig. 6) that communicates with a pipe 3| leading to the pump I, whereby the water may be again used.

The broad method involved in the above described apparatus consists in initially supplying the system with water disintegrating the contents of the catch basin, creating an ejector jet in said contents for causing the contents to be dis charged, maintaining the discharged sediment in a fluid state for causing the same to spread over a considerable area, then drawing the water therefrom for re-use.

A more specific feature of the method resides in disintegrating the upper portion of the contents of the catch basin, creating an ejector jet in the disintegrating portion for causing the removal thereof, then disintegrating a lower portion of said contents and lowering said ejector jet for causing the removal thereof.

It will be appreciated that according to the present method it is possible to spread the discharged sediment over a wider area, and it is possible to control the depth of the ejector in accordance with the depth of the disintegrated material in the event that the contents of the catch basin is of a considerable depth and solid or:

caked.

In the event it is not desired to use my novel tank and the steps involved in its use, then any other suitable tank may be substituted for the tank disclosed herein.

I am aware that many changes may be made in the method and that certain steps may be varied without departing from the principles of this invention and I therefore do not propose limiting the patent granted thereon otherwise than necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of cleaning out catch basins which consists in disintegrating the contents thereof, creating an ejector jet therein for discharging the contents, maintaining the discharged contents in a fluid condition for a considerable height of deposit, draining said contents above a diagonal line to cause said deposits to assume a sloping mass extending a considerable distance lengthwise and delivering said drainage back to said ejector jet.

2i The method of cleaning out catch basins which consists in disintegrating the contents thereof, creating an ejector jet therein for discharging the contents into a tank, draining said discharged contents above a diagonal line to cause said material to gravitate in an inclined mass to substantially the front end of said tank and delivering said drainage back to the ejector jet.

RONALD CLEMENT EVANS 

